Artificial-limb lock



Patented July 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEETI l/VI/E/VTOH $51 M! i77j67' A TTOR/VEIS L. E. HULLINGER. ARTIFICIAL LIMB LOCK APPLICATION FILED Aueis. 1919.

Paiented July 6, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEEI' 2- INVENTOI? L513 (1/ [in 4e;- BY

A 1702/45 rs L. E. HULLINGER.

ARTIFICIAL-LIME LOCK.

APPLICAHON FILED AUG-5.1919.

1,346,092. Patented y 6, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEEI 3.

WITNESSES I IN VENT 0H May/10 e,-

onirsn STATES PA'IQENT OFFICE.

LYNUS LE. HULLINGER, 0F BROOKLYNyNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR .TO PQMEROY' COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. 1 CGRPORATION 0F NEW YCRK.

ARTIFICIAL-LIME LOCK.

Application filed August 5, 11319.

To all whom it may canoe m:

Be it known that 1, leaves E. 'HULLINenn. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York. have invented a new and Improved Artificial-Limb Look, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

An object of this invention is the construction of an improved lock for an artificial arm and aims to provide such a device by means of which the wearer may be capable of performing certain functions in a far more simple manner than has been the practice heretofore.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the nature above specified by means of which the lower arm of an artificial limb may be locked in any number of positions with respect to the upper arm.

A. further object of the invention is the provision of an actuating mechanism by means of which the lock may be released by a movement of the stump and again, upon a further movement of the stump be relocked.

A further provision of this invention is that although the arm maybe adjusted to any number of positions. it will in nowise interfere with the operation, such as opening and closing. of the conventional utility hook or other apparatus which might be as sociated with the lower end of the lower arm.

A still further object of the invention is a lock which may be capable of being released so that the lower arm may be freely swung with regard to the upper arm and by means of which the lower or forearm may be raised from any position without interfering with the operation of the utility hook and its associated parts.

A further provision of the invention is the construction of a lock which may be actuated in the conventional manner by means of the opposite arm. or which may be operated entirely independently of such other arm.

A final object of the invention is the association of structure which will prevent the utility hook and its associated parts from being operated when the forearm is being either raised lowered or swung loosely.

Reference is bad to the attached sheets Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Serial No. 315,420.

of drawings which illustrate one practical embodiment of my invention. and in which Figure 1' is an elevational view of a human body with an artificial arm and my im' proved lock and associated parts incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a side view of an arm;

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof;

Fig. t is a side view of the lock associated with my arm;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the parts illustrated in Fig. i;

Fig. 6 is a view taken from the opposite side from which Fig. t is taken; and

Fig. 7 illustrates a "certain detail of the actuating structure.

In all of these views like reference numerals designate similar parts, and the reference numeral 1 indicates an upper arm which may be attached to a shoulder strap 2 by means of lacing or any other suitable connection. Fivotally attached by means of a bolt 3 to the lower end of the upper arm is a forearm l: with the lower end of which there is associated in the usual manner a utility book 5, or other suitable device.

Qperating mechanism for the utility hook 5 includes the known structure of a cord 6 and guides and pulleys 7. The upper end of the cord 6 is attached to the conventional strap 8 which extends around the opposite shoulder of the wearer, so that upon moving such opposite shoulder forwardly a pull will be exerted upon the cord 6 and the hook 5 will be operated.

Any well-known securing means for the shoulder strap 2, such as lacing and the brace strap 9 extending around the body of the wearer. may be provided so that the artificial arm may be prevented from any slip ping and. at the same time may be entirely comfortable in its application.

Secured to the shoulder strap 2 is a buckle 10 by means of which a strap 11 may be rendered shorter or longer with respect to the shoulder strap 2. Secured to the lower end of the strap ll is a hook 12, which preferably includes an outwardlyand sidewisebent portion and an upwardly-extending portion adjacent its end, for a purpose hereinafter more fully specified.

lVithin the upper arm there is fixedly mounted a circular plate 13 with an opening. A pair of upstanding ears 15 extend .5, it will be seen that also mounted upon the bolt 3, upon which the plate 13 is nnninted, is a second plate 19 which is provided with openings 20 and, further, formed with a downwardly-extending integral tongue 21, the lower end of which is fixedly secured to the forearm 4: by means of a rod22 extending transversely through such forearm and through the lower end of the tongue.

The lowermost end of the crank arm 17 is preferably forked, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, such forked end seating within a groove 23 formed in the head of a pin 2a which normally projects through the opening associated with the plate 13. v

To furnishactuating mechanism for the crank arm 17 I provide the same adjacent its outer end with an opening 1 1 through which extends the hook 12 of the strap 11.

It will now be seen in operation that normally the pin 24 will extend through the opening in the plate 13 and into one of the openings 20 of the plate 19, thus locking the forearm with respect to the upper arm. It will alsonow be obvious that the lock may he released by moving the opposite arm so as to raise, with the fingers thereof, the upper end of the crank arm 17, whereby to retract the pin 24 from the opening 520 into which it projects and to raise the forearm s and permit the pin 24- to move into any desired opening coming into alinement therewith and to again lock the forearm absolutely independent operation of the a1;

with respect to the upper arm.

Assuming that it desired to use this apparatus in the more natural manner, and for which purpose it is intended, 2'. 6., the

' tificial arm, such as locking, unlocking, raising or lowering, and subsequently locking the forearm with respect to the upper arm, it will be seen that this may readily be accomplished'byhunching or flexing the shoulder musclesof the arm with which the artificial arm is" associated, which will result i in a pull being exerted upon the strap 11 and the unlocking of the look by virtue of the crank arm 17 being swung around its, pivot 16 and the pin 24, consequently being either upwardly or downwardly, may be continued as long as desired, for the reason that the resilient means associated with the utility hook 5 exerts far more tension than the pull upon'the cord 6 necessary to raise the slight weight of the forearm 1.

Assuming now that it is desired to again lock the forearm with respect to the upper arm, the former having reached the desired position, the returning to normal of the shoulder with. which the strap 2 is associated will release the tension upon the strap 11 and permit the pin 24 to again project through any opening 20 in the plate 19 which it may be overlying. I i It will be appreciated, assuming that it is inadvisable to attempt to flex the shoulder muscles of the shoulder to which the artificial arm is attached, that the actuation of the lock may be accomplished by moving the stump so as to swing the arm outwardly and forwardly and thus increase the distance between the buckle 10 and the upper end of the crank arm 17 which will result in a pull being exerted upon the strap 11 and the opening of the lock, subsequent to which the arm may be moved or brought to any desired position. It will further be seen that by means of the unique construction of the hook'12, any possibility of the end of the strap 11 becoming detached from the upper arm of the crank 17 will be eliminated. The strap 11 may also be secured to the front of the shoulder strap 2, audit will be seen that when the strap is so mounted the opening of the lock may. be effected by moving the arm rearwardly, outwardly, or rearwardly and outwardly.

It will further be appreciated that, by means of my invention the forearm may be locked in any number of positions with respect to the upper arm and that the same may be swung freely with respect to the upper arm without actuating the utility hook and its associatedparts, by virtue of the fact that less tension is required for the cord ,6 to raise the forearm than to actuate said utility'hook. The utility hook may be operated in any one of the numerous positions in which the lower arm may be locked with respect to the upper arm. 7

It is to be further understood that numerous modifications of structure might be resorted. to within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to claim: a

1. An artificial limb lock, including an upper arm, a forearm associated with said upper arm, means for locking such forearm with respect to the upper arm in any number of positions, operating means extending from one of such arms whereby to actuate such locking means, a shoulder strap associated with the shoulder of the wearer for supporting the upper arm, a strap adjustably secured to such shoulder strap, and a hook provided with an outwardly, sidewise, and upwardly-extemling end adapted to engage such operating means.

2. Au artificial limb lock, including an upper arm, a forearm, a bolt extending through such upper arm and forearm to afford pivotal. connection therebetween, a pair of plates mounted upon such bolt and being fixedly secured to the upper arm and forearm respectively, and means cooperating with such plates for preventing movement of one with respect to the other.

2:5. An artificial limb lock, including an upper arm, a forearm, a bolt extending through such upper arm and forearm to afford pivotal connection therebetween, a pair of plates mounted upon such bolt and being fixedly secured to the upper arm and forearm respectively, and means cooperating with such plates and associated with the plate secured to the upper arm for preventing movement of one with respect to the other.

1-. An artificial limb lock, including an upper arm, a bolt pivotally securing the forearm to such upper arm, a pair of plates mounted upon such bolt and being secured to the upper arm and forearm respectively, a crank arm pivotally mounted within one of such arm portions, and a pin associated with the outer end of such crank arm, said pin being adapted to project thi 'ough alining openings in said plates.

upper arm, a bolt adapted to pivotally mount the forearm with respect to such upper arm, a pair of plates mounted upon such bolt, said plates being fixedly secured to the upper and forearm respectively, a crank arm pivotally mounted upon the upper of such plates, a pin adapted to be actuated by the lower end of such crank arm, the upper end thereof projecting beyond the side Wall of the upper arm, and means engaging such upper end for rocking such crank arm and causing the pin to be projected through openings formed in such plates.

LYNUS E. HULLINGER.

0. An artificial limb lock, including an 

